Fish scaling machine

ABSTRACT

In a fish scaling machine having a horizontally disposed fish conveyor with a series of spaced descaler rolls extending at right angles to the direction of feeding with the fish fed by the conveyor in a continuous manner, an improved hold down and guide mechanism operatively and yieldably engaging one side of the fish as they move thereunder which includes mounted upon a pair of spaced rails a series of spaced rock shafts journalled on said rails and supporting a series of fan-shaped longitudinally overlapped downwardly and rearwardly converging blades which are affixed to said rock shafts and with spring means for urging the undersurface portions of said blades into operative yieldable engagement with the fish as they pass thereunder.

United States Patent [191 Simard 1 FISH SCALING MACHINE [76] Inventor:Albert Simard, RR. 1, Old Castle, Ontario, Canada Primary ExaminerLouisG. Mancene Assistant ExaminerD. L. Weinhold Attorney, Agent, orFirm-Cullen, Settle, Sloman &

Cantor 1 Jan. 29, 1974 5 7 ABSTRACT In a fish scaling machine having ahorizontally disposed fish conveyor with a series of spaced descalerrolls extending at right angles to the direction of feeding with thefish fed by the conveyor in a continuous manner, an improved hold downand guide mechanism operatively and yieldably engaging one side of thefish as they move thereunder which includes mounted upon a pair ofspaced rails a series of spaced rock shafts journalled on said rails andsupporting a series of fan-shaped longitudinally overlapped downwardlyand rearwardly converging blades which are affixed to said rock shaftsand with spring means for urging the undersurface portions of saidblades into operative yieldable engagement with the fish as they passthereunder.

'5 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures N 9 FT 9 1 1 //1 i o 0 0 0 o o 0 o o c 0 045 97 95 :1} 2

Q 0 0 o 6/ O O o 29 43 Q I 23 Q E 1 /7 6/ PATEHTED 3, 787, 927

SHEET 3 0F 3 FIG? Y /3 M0 TOR RPM FISH SCALING MACHINE BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION The present invention is an improvement over the fish scalingmachine shown in my earlier issued US. Pat. No. 3,088,164 dated May 7,1963.

Whereas, the earlier patent was primarily directed to the completemachine, the present invention has for its primary object an improvedyieldable spring biased blade mechanism for engaging one side of thefish as they are conveyed through the machine, their opposite side beingengaged by a series of longitudinally spaced descaler rolls.

It is another object to provide an improved fish scaling machinewherein, and as a part of the framework, there is provided above theconveying means, a pair of rails and mounted upon axes transverse to thepath of movement of the fish a series of longitudinally overlappedfan-shaped blades whose opposite sides extend downwardly and whoseforward ends converge rearwardly so as to yieldably engage fish as theyare conveyed thereunder.

It is an object of the present invention to provide first conveyingmechanism with a series of longitudinally spaced descaler rollssubstantially coplaner therewith so as to operatively engage and removethe scales from one side of a fish movable thereover and, wherein, thepresent improved resilient hold-down or fish engaging means operativelyand yieldably engage the opposite side of the fish during the descalingoperation.

It is a further object of the present invention to pro vide an exactreverse of the above mechanism and, wherein, the upper side of the fishare engaged by the conveying means and a series of descaler rolls so asto remove scales from the opposite side and, wherein, the yieldablehold-down mechanism operatively engages the under side of the fish as itmoves thereover to hold the same into engagement with the conveyor anddescaling rolls.

It is another object to provide an improved yieldable spring biasedhold-down device in the nature of a fanshaped blade, wherein, each bladeis made into a pair of sections adapted for independent pivotal yieldingfish engaging movements.

It is another object to provide an improved descaler roll for the fishscaling machine and, wherein, the blades are so formed as toadditionally guide the fish moving in a rectilinear path and further,wherein, the blades are formed so as to operatively deflect the scalesin a continuous manner.

These and other objects will be seen from the following specificationand claims in conjunction with the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the present fish scaling machine;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of one descaler roll taken in thedirection of arrows 22 of FIG. 7 on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 3 is a similar view of another form of the descaler roll taken onlines 3-3 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 4 is another form of descaler roll taken on lines 4-4 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of the improved fish hold-downmechanism taken in the direction of arrows 5-5 of FIG. 1, on anincreased scale;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view thereof;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary plan view of the fish scaling machine, showingthe conveying mechanism, the descaler rolls and the power drivemechanism therefore;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary end elevational view of one of the descalerrolls shown in FIG. 7 illustrating the relation between roll and a fishin removing the scales therefrom;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a modified yieldable holddown mechanism.

It is will be understood that the above drawings illustrate merely apreferred embodiment of the invention, and that other embodiments arecontemplated within the scope of the claims hereafter set forth.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to the drawings, the present fish scalingmachine generally indicated at 11 has a framework 13 with an associatedlongitudinally disposed tank 15.

Concave guide plates 17 extend partly across the top of said tank forguiding removed scales down into the tank.

The framework includes a pair of spaced longitudinally extending rails19 mounting thereon opposed pairs of journal blocks 23 adapted toreceive and journal the individual drive shafts 25 for the conveyorrolls These conveyor rolls are longitudinally spaced along the length ofthe framework and rotate on axes extending at right angles to the pathof feed movement of fish to move thereover in a continuous manner asshown in FIG. 1.

Each of the feed rolls 27 include a series of longitudinally spacedsharpened sprockets 29 affixed to the power rotated shaft 25.

Motor 31 schematically shown is operably connected to reducer 33, FIG. 7whose output shaft 35 drives pulley 37 which through a suitable belt 39and another pulley drives shaft 41, at 225 R.P.M. for illustration.Mounted upon the end of said shaft is a feed roll 43 for the beltconveyor 45, fragmentarily shown, by which the fish successively areadvanced in a line onto the conveyor mechanism forming a part of thepresent fish scaling machine and which includes the series oflongitudinally spaced transverse feed rolls 27 Power driven shaft 41 forthe roller 43 by virtue of a series of additional pulleys and beltsbetween the respective additional shafts 25 are thus adapted to effectsimultaneously continuous power driven rotation of the respective feedrolls 27 forming a part of the conveyor.

While pulleys and belts have been shown, it is contemplated thatsprockets and chains could be just as well employed as an equivalentdrive mechanism.

By this construction, the roller 43 with the feed belt 45 moves inunison with each and all of the sprocket type feed rolls 27 fortransmitting fish throughout the length of the present scaling machine.

A series of longitudinally spaced differently shaped descaler rolls 51,65 and are interposed within and between respective sets of the feedrolls 27 and are adapted to operatively engage one side of the fish asit moves over the conveyor rolls.

The first descaler roller 51 shown on an enlarged scale in FIG. 4includes between the end support discs 53 a series of elongateddownwardly depressed or curved blades 55 which are shown fragmentarilyin side elevation in FIG. 8 as the blades would engage the fish movingthereover.

Each of the blades is inclined forwardly at an acute angle with respectto a normal line to the blade support axis and includes a leadingdownwardly curved edge 59 for the purpose of operatively deflecting thescales S as they are removed from the fish as shown schematically inFIG. 8.

This same construction of the elongated blade forwardly inclined andwiththe curved leading edge 59 is characteristic of all three of thedescaler rolls shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4.

The descaler roll 51 is affixed to the driven shaft 61 which is parallelto feed roll drive shafts 25 and through suitable pulleys and a belt 63is connected to the output shaft 30 of motor 31.

Since it is directly connected to said motor, the descaler roll 51 mayrotate at 3000 R.P.M. for illustration.

Of importance in connection with the feed roll 51 is that it is concavedintermediate its ends to therefore serve as a guide means for assuring apath of rectilinear movement for the fish as they move thereover upontheir one sides.

There is provided a centrally spaced additional descaler 65 also shownin FIG. 3 wherein between the support plates 67 mounted upon drivenshaft 71 are a series of more steeply and inwardly inclined blades 69for the purpose of operatively engaging side portions of the fish notengaged by the first descaler roll 51.

The central depressed portion of the descaler roll also functions tocentralize and to assure and guide the fish along a rectilinear path.

Driven shaft 71 is also mounted upon the supports 19 and 21 of theframework and corresponding journal blocks and through suitable pulleysand belt 73 is connected to motor shaft 30 and is power rotated also at3000 R.P.M., for illustration.

A third descaler roll 75 is provided at FIGS. 1,2 and 7 and wherein uponthe driven shaft 81 fragmentarily shown is provided an opposed pair ofblade elements 75 and wherein, the support discs 77 mount a suitablebushing 80. The steeply inclined blades 79 at their one ends are securedto the discs 77 and at their other ends extend to and are affixed orsuitably secured by welding or otherwise to the bushing 80.

Thus, this opposed pair of rolls 75 with their blades at an increasedand steeper angle than the angle of the blades 69 are furthermoreadapted to operatively engage other side portions of the fish in orderto remove the remainder of the scales as the fish passes thereover.

Power drive shaft 81, which extends through the bushings 80 and isaffixed thereto, is parallel to the other shafts 71,61 and 25. Shaft 81through suitable pulleys shown in FIG. 7 and a belt 83 is connected tothe motor output shaft 30 for power rotation at 3000 R.P.M.,approximately.

HOLD DOWN AND GUIDE MECHANISM Referring to FIG. 1, as the fish lying onone side is fed by the belt 45 onto the conveyor rolls 27, itsundersurface is operatively engaged by the longitudinally spaceddescaler rolls 51, 65 and 75 which due to their different shapes, andthe inclination of the respective cutting blades are adapted to removethe scales from the said one side of the fish.

During this scale removing operation, there is provided an improvedresilient yieldable hold down mechanism which operatively but yieldablyengages the opposite sides of the fish as it moves along a rectilinearpath upon the conveyor rolls throughout the length of the machine.

In the present embodiment of the improved hold down mechanism there isprovided as a part of the framework 13 a hollow U-shaped laterallyextending framework 85 which includes upright back wall 87 and at itsopposite ends laterally extending longitudinally spaced end walls 89.

The elongated rectangular top 91 is hinged at 93 to back wall 87 and isadapted to cooperatively register with the end walls 89 so as to partlyenclose the upper portion of the fish scaling machine and particularlythe yieldable hold down mechanism shown in FIG. 1, and in detail inFIGS. 5 and 6.

The present yieldable hold down mechanism includes as a part of thebasic framework 13 a pair of laterally spaced longitudinally extendingrails 95 which are spaced above feed rolls 27 and descaler rolls 51, 65,75 and upon which are mounted the present fan-shaped longitudinallyoverlapping blades 100, FIG. 5. These are adapted to operatively engagethe opposide side of the fish during the descaling operation.

For this purpose there are provided spanning the said rails a series oflongitudinally spaced rock shafts 97 journalled as at 99 with suitablebushings if desired within the rails 95.

There are a plurality of fan-shaped longitudinally overlapping andlongitudinally extending blades 100 whose opposite sides 101 extendangularly outward and downward and whose forward end portions as at 103,FIGS. 5 and 6 converge rearwardly. These blades are of such shape as tooperatively engage yieldably the opposide side of the fish from whichthe scales are being removed as shown in FIG. 1.

It is noted that the respective fan-shaped blades 100 are eachindependently mounted for its own pivotal yielding movements withrespect to the fish moving thereunder in the illustrative embodiment.

The mounting of the respective blades 100 includes for each blade asupport bar 105 which is inclined upwardly and rearwardly correspondingto the inclination of the respective blades 100, FIG. 6, and affixedthereto as at 107. As shown in FIG. 5, said bars are laterally displacedwith respect to the longitudinal axis of the individual blade so as toprovide suitable clearance for the succeeding and adjacent support barsof adjacent blades in the overlapping manner shown, FIGS. 1 and 5.

The said support bars thus extend upwardly and rearwardly, past thecorresponding rock shafts 97, are affixed to the respective rock shaftsas by welds 109, FIG. 6, and thereafter extend upwardly in a verticaldirection as at 107, FIG. 6.

Brackets 111 are adjustably mounted upon support bar elements 107suitably secured thereto, each bracket including an apertured car 113which receives as at 115 one end of the elongated coil spring 117 whoseopposite end is anchored to one of the support rails as at 119.

By this construction, the respective successively aligned and overlappedfan-shaped blades 100 are always biased towards the descaling rolls and,thus, are adapted to yieldably engage the opposite side of the fish asit moves over the descaler rolls on the feed conveyor 27 to assist inthe descaling operation.

It is contemplated as a part of the present invention, though notdescribed in further detail that in order to remove the scales from theother side of the fish, there would be arranged in identicalconstruction of feed rollers 27 and descaler rolls 51, 65 and 75 inalignment with the end portion of the descaler mechanism shown in FIGS.1 and 7, and wherein the descaler rolls are adapted to operativelyengage the opposite side of the fish and wherein the hold downmechanism, namely, the series of aligned overlapping fan-shaped blades100 engage the underside of the fish for the purpose of holding the fishagainst the descaler rolls.

Accordingly, the present invention contemplates in a fish scalingmachine a device which is substantially a duplicate of what is shown inFIG. 1 but wherein, the rollers 27 for feeding and the descaler rollsare reversed and are arranged above rather than below the fish andwherein, the yieldable hold down mechanism is upon the underside of thefish to hold the fish against the conveyor mechanism.

By this construction, the fish are successively moved in a continuousline through the descaler machine, through the mechanism shown in FIG. 1and through an additional mechanism aligned with FIG. 1 wherein, theopposite side of the fish is descaled to complete the scaling operationof this fish successively in a continuous line to thus provide fishscaling in a commercial manner providing for thousands of fish passingthrough per hour.

MODIFICATION FIG. 9 shows a slight modification only in the sense thatbetween the rails 95 forming a part of the framework instead of a singleset of fan-shaped blades, there are instead provided opposed pairs ofblade elements 125 which are independently mounted for the same purpose.Since they operate independently of each other, they may be moreefficient for certain types of fish scaling operations due to surfaceirregularities of the fish passing between the hold down mechanism andthe descaler rolls.

For this purpose upon the transverse shafts 121 longitudinally spacedand arranged between the rails 95 are a pair of sleeves 123 arranged endto end and adapted for rocking adjustment independently with respect tothe transverse shaft 121.

Individual opposed symmetrical blade elements 125 are arranged side byside being generally of the shape of the blades 100 of FIGS. 5 and 6 butwhich have independent mountings. Each of the blade elements has alongits top surface an elongated inwardly and upwardly extending support bar127 suitably secured to the individual blade, which extends upwardlypassed the corresponding bushing 123 and is suitably affixed thereto bywelding the same as at 109, FIG. 6, and extends upwardly terminating inthe vertical portion 129.

This portion again mounts a bracket 111 similar to the bracket of FIGS.5 and 6 which is adjustably secured upon the vertical portion 129 of thesupport bar and serves to anchor one end of the coil spring 117, whoseopposite end is again secured to the corresponding adjacent rail 95 asat 119.

The structure is otherwise the same except that the fan-shaped fishengaging hold down blade elementsare in pairs rather than single bladeshown in FIG. 5.

The structure and function is the same but there is provided a moreefficient device for engaging the opposite side of the fish which isirregular in cross section and thus, is adapted to more efficiently holddown that side of the fish with respect to the opposite side which isengaged by the series of descaler rolls 51, 65 and 75.

Having described my invention, reference should now be had to thefollowing claims.

I claim:

1. In a fish scaling machine having a framework, a horizontally disposedconveyor adapted to supportably receive one side of a fishlongitudinally movable thereover, and a series of longitudinally spaceddescaler rolls, joumalled upon said framework on axes at right angles tothe direction of feeding adapted to operatively engage said one side ofsaid fish removing the scales therefrom as the fish are fed thereover ina continuous manner;

an improved hold down and guide mechanism operatively, yieldably andsuccessively engaging along the other side of said fish comprising;

a pair of spaced horizontally disposed rails mounted on said frameworkand spaced from said descaler rolls;

a series of longitudinally spaced rock shafts transverse to andjoumalled upon said rails;

a series of fan-shaped longitudinally overlapping blades whose oppositesides extend downwardly and whose forward end portions convergerearwardly to operatively engage said fish other side;

a support bar overlying and at one end secured to each blade and itsother end extending rearwardly and upwardly extending beyond and fixedlysecured to corresponding rock shaft;

and a series of spring means interconnecting each support bar and one ofsaid rails respectively, whereby said blades yieldably and guidablyengage said fish for movement in a rectilinear direction.

2. In the fish scaling machine of claim 1, said blades being inclinedupwardly and rearwardly; each support bar extending along the top of ablade laterally offset from its central longitudinal axis, with itsother end extending substantially vertical.

3. In the fish scaling machine of claim 2, the connection of said springmeans to said support bar including a bracket adjustably securedthereto, to facilitate adjustment of spring tension upon said blades.

4. In the fish scaling machine of claim 1, each rock shaft consisting ofa pair of aligned tubes; and a bar extending through and rotatablymounting said tubes, and at its ends secured to said rails; each bladeconsisting of a pair of oppositely arranged symmetrical blade elements,there being a separate support bar for each blade element and securedthereto, with portions of the support bars for each pair of bladeelements bearing against and secured to the corresponding tube, wherebythe blade elements are adapted for independent fish engaging movements.

5. In the fish scaling machine of claim 1, said framework including anupright back wall, and at its ends, a pair of laterally extending endwalls overlying and enclosing said rails and associated hold-down andguide mechanism; and a tilt cover hinged to said back wall and adaptedto rest upon said end walls, said rails at their respective ends beingsecured to said back wall.

1. In a fish scaling machine having a framework, a horizontally disposedconveyor adapted to supportably receive one side of a fishlongitudinally movable thereover, and a series of longitudinally spaceddescaler rolls, journalled upon said framework on axes at right anglesto the direction of feeding adapted to operatively engage said one sideof said fish removing the scales therefrom as the fish are fed thereoverin a continuous manner; an improved hold down and guide mechanismoperatively, yieldably and successively engaging along the other side ofsaid fish comprising; a pair of spaced horizontally disposed railsmounted on said framework and spaced from said descaler rolls; a seriesof longitudinally spaced rock shafts transverse to and journalled uponsaid rails; a series of fan-shaped longitudinally overlapping bladeswhose opposite sides extend downwardly and whose forward end portionsconverge rearwardly to operatively engage said fish other side; asupport bar overlying and at one end secured to each blade and its otherend extending rearwardly and upwardly extending beyond and fixedlysecured to corresponding rock shaft; and a series of spring meansinterconnecting each support bar and one of said rails respectively,whereby said blades yieldably and guidably engage said fish for movementin a rectilinear direction.
 2. In the fish scaling machine of claim 1,said blades being inclined upwardly and rearwardly; each support barextending along the top of a blade laterally offset from its centrallongitudinal axis, with its other end extending substantially vertical.3. In the fish scaling machine of claim 2, the connection of said springmeans to said support bar including a bracket adjustably securedthereto, to facilitate adjustment of spring tension upon said blades. 4.In the fish scaling machine of claim 1, each rock shaft consisting of apair of aligned tubes; and a bar extending through and rotatablymounting said tubes, and at its ends secured to said rails; each bladeconsisting of a pair of oppositely arranged symmetrical blade elements,there being a separate support bar for each blade element and securedthereto, with Portions of the support bars for each pair of bladeelements bearing against and secured to the corresponding tube, wherebythe blade elements are adapted for independent fish engaging movements.5. In the fish scaling machine of claim 1, said framework including anupright back wall, and at its ends, a pair of laterally extending endwalls overlying and enclosing said rails and associated hold-down andguide mechanism; and a tilt cover hinged to said back wall and adaptedto rest upon said end walls, said rails at their respective ends beingsecured to said back wall.